She Loves Biscotti

Simple & Tasty Family-Friendly Recipes with an Italian Twist

  • Home
  • Recipe Index
  • About Maria
  • My Store
  • Contact
    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclaimer

Home » Salads » Fregola Pasta Recipe with Lentils

Fregola Pasta Recipe with Lentils

April 20, 2018 , Updated January 2, 2021 Maria 12 Comments

Jump to Recipe  ↓ Print Recipe  ❒
A pinterest pin entitled fregola salad with lentils.

Fregola pasta with lentils, sun-dried tomatoes, black olives, and fresh herbs are just some of the healthy ingredients in this Italian pasta salad. Great tasting and as an added bonus, the leftovers of this fregola recipe make the best-packed lunches! 

There are 2 bowls filled with Lentil Pasta Salad.

Today, I will be singing the praises of this humble and healthy lentil fregola salad.

Made with a few of my favorite ingredients (hopefully yours too) and some fresh herbs and spices, you will quickly fall in love with this salad recipe.

An overhead shot of the packaged fregola along with a handful of fregola on a wooden board.

What is fregola:

Fregola, this wonderful pasta from Sardinia, is unfamiliar to a lot of people, but it’s one of the staples in my pantry.

What does fregola look like? 

As you can see, fregola is tiny little beads of semolina which have been toasted. The roasting creates different color variations, from tan to dark brown; these different colors contribute to the visual rustic appeal of the final dish. As we all know, we eat with our eyes first!

What does fregola feel like? 

The process of roasting these little beads of semolina will create a rough surface with a great absorbability factor. As a result, it is great with sauces. Fregola’s firm texture is a welcome addition to many salads as well.

Roasting the fregola also enhances another one of our five senses… taste!

What does fregola taste like? 

Given that it is a pasta, fregola tastes surprising nutty.  This unique flavor contribution, combined with its chewy texture, makes it an ideal ingredient to use in salads.

If you are looking for more salad recipes using fregola, be sure to click here.

Just in case you are wondering, fregola can be found in most Italian specialty stores. It can easily be found online as well.

A close up shot of the cooked brown lentils.

Lentils:

There isn’t much that I can say about this wonderful legume that I haven’t already said in this post about using lentils as a meal prep solution.

Lentils are:

  • both accessible and affordable.
  • easy to prepare (rinse, simmer, serve).
  • so healthy for you.
  • delicious.

They can also easily be incorporated in almost any dish. One of my favorites is this Italian Lentil Soup Recipe.

… I could go on, but I think you get the picture.  If you want to know more about lentils, there are videos and cooking tutorials available on the Lentils.org website. I encourage you to check this website out as it is such a great reference for anyone that wants to learn more about lentils!

I’ve probably talked enough about my two favorite ingredients… let’s make this fregola salad.

A close up a small flowery blue bowl piled high with lentil salad. Walnuts, parsley, fresh chives and a lemon wedge surrounds the bowl.

Instructions

We are going to need two pots, one to cook the lentils and the other to cook the fregola.

In the first pot, place about 3 cups of water and bring it to a boil. Then add 1 cup of lentils (green or brown) and simmer for approximately 20 minutes or until the lentils reach the stage where they still have a nice chew to them.

In the other pot, bring 4 cups of salted water to a boil. Add 1 teaspoon of salt, 1 bay leaf, and 1 cup of fregola.  Reduce the heat and simmer for about 10-12 minutes (or according to package cooking time). The texture we are looking for is al dente, just like any other pasta.

While the lentils and the fregola are simmering, we can get started on the vinaigrette.

In a medium bowl, whisk together 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, 1½ balsamic vinegar, 1 teaspoon of honey, 1½ tablespoons of lemon juice, and ½ teaspoon zest. If you like a little heat, go ahead and add a few pinches of hot pepper flakes. Taste and adjust for salt and pepper.

Once the fregola is cooked, drain and place in a large mixing bowl. Remove the bay leaf and add about 1 tablespoon of olive oil and toss together.

A close up shot at some of the ingredients used to make the lentil pasta salad.

Next, add ⅓ cup of chopped Italian flatleaf parsley, ¼ cup chopped fresh chives, ¼ cup finely chopped celery, ⅓ cup of Sun-Dried Tomatoes, ¼ cup black olives. Add the vinaigrette and combine it thoroughly together. 

The lentils will take a little longer to cook, but when they are done, just add them in.

Combine and season with salt and pepper according to personal taste. One final drizzle of olive oil or a generous squirt of lemon juice and you’re done!

Tips

  • the addition of toasted almonds or walnuts compliments the nuttiness of the fregola. They also some great texture.
  • Serve this salad warm, at room temperature or even cold.
  • The leftovers make for great lunches!

Easy lentil recipes we love

Italian Lentil Soup Recipe

Quick Pasta Risotto

Slow Cooker Lentil Stew Recipe 

A close up of the fregola salad in a large white oval bowl.

Recipe origins

Fregola is, without a doubt, a household favorite. Its nuttiness and unique texture just elevate any dish it is in.

My family just loves it in pasta salads. More often than not, we don’t even use a recipe. We just start adding fresh and wholesome ingredients together and taste as we go along.

This particular recipe was the result of my daughter and me experimenting and having fun in the kitchen.

As a result of its versatility, you can combine it with nearly any herb and vegetable you have on hand.

But don’t take my word for it… try it for yourself and be sure to leave a comment!

I love to hear about your recipes that include fregola.

THANKS SO MUCH for following and being part of the She Loves Biscotti community where you will find Simple & Tasty Family-Friendly Recipes with an Italian Twist.

Ciao for now,

Maria

★★★★★ If you have made this Lentil Salad recipe, I would love to hear about it in the comments below and be sure to rate the recipe!

A close up of the fregola salad in a large white oval bowl.

Fregola pasta with Lentils

Fregola pasta with lentils, sun-dried tomatoes, black olives, and fresh herbs are just some of the healthy ingredients in this Italian pasta salad.
5 from 3 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Salad/Side
Cuisine: Italian
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 558kcal
Author: Maria Vannelli RD

Ingredients

  • 3 cups water
  • 1 cup lentils brown or green
  • 4 cups water
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 cup fregola sarda
  • ⅓ cup parsley Italian, finely chopped
  • ¼ cup chives fresh, chopped
  • ¼ cup celery finely chopped
  • ⅓ cup sundried tomatoes
  • ¼ cup black olives chopped

Vinaigrette:

  • 4 tablespoons olive oil separated
  • 1½ tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • 1½ tablespoons lemon juice
  • ½ teaspoon lemon zest
  • pinch chili optional
  • salt and pepper to taste

Topping:

  • 1/3 cup walnuts chopped, roasted
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

  • In the first medium-sized saucepan, bring 3 cups of water to boil.
  • Add lentils; reduce heat and simmer for about 20 minutes or until lentils are cooked but still have a bite to them.
  • In the second medium-sized saucepan, bring 4 cups of water to a boil.
  • Add salt, bay leaf, and fregola; reduce heat and simmer for about 12 -14 minutes or until al dente.
  • In the meanwhile, prepare the vinaigrette by whisking together the ingredients.
  • Once the fregola is cooked, drain and place in a large mixing bowl. Add about 1 tablespoon of olive oil to keep the fregola from drying out. Discard bay leaf.
  • Add the chopped parsley, chives, celery, sun-dried tomatoes, and olives. Add the vinaigrette and combine it thoroughly together. 
  • By this time, the lentils should be done. Drain and combine with the salad.
  • Taste and adjust seasonings.
  • Once the salad has been plated, drizzle lemon juice and olive oil over the top. 
  • Sprinkle with toasted walnuts, if using.
Scroll UP for the STEP by STEP PhotosDon't miss the process shots and videos included in most posts. Simply scroll up the post to find them. Those were created especially for you so that you can make the recipe perfectly every single time you try it.

Notes

I will add 1-2 cloves of roasted garlic when I have it available.
Total Yield is approximately 5 cups.
1 serving = 1¼ cups

Recipe Notes:

Please keep in mind that the nutritional information provided below is just a rough estimate and variations can occur depending on the specific ingredients used. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 558kcal | Carbohydrates: 66g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 771mg | Potassium: 751mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 670IU | Vitamin C: 16.5mg | Calcium: 70mg | Iron: 4.2mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @shelovesbiscotti or tag #shelovesbiscotti!

Salads, Side-Dish and Vegetables

About Maria

Maria Vannelli is a registered dietitian who lives in a suburb just outside Montreal, Canada. She's the founder of the food blog She Loves Biscotti. Maria hopes to inspire you and bring you and your loved ones closer together at meal times enabling you to create some memorable moments.

Comments

  1. Rosa Pellegrini says

    May 25, 2020 at 15:38

    Thank you great recipe

    Reply
    • Maria says

      May 25, 2020 at 18:18

      Thanks so much Rosa!

      Reply
  2. Rita says

    May 24, 2020 at 20:11

    Sounds wonderful! Not for the first time, though, I am not able to email the recipe. There have been others where I would have liked to email. The only means of sharing are social media sites. Can you PLEASE have your web designer add an email capability? thank you!

    Reply
    • Maria says

      May 24, 2020 at 20:45

      Thanks so much for your interest Rita. An email option has been added. Thanks for suggesting it.

      Reply
  3. Gabby G says

    April 23, 2018 at 11:00

    5 stars
    What a great salad! I had never heard of fregola before, but it makes me think of Isreali couscous. I can definitely imagine this in a salad. And I love how your family does it, reminds me of cooking in France with my grandma. No recipe! lol Just adding good ingredients together and making a great nourishing dish. Beautiful!

    Reply
    • Maria says

      April 23, 2018 at 11:40

      Thanks Gabby… so many great recipes yet to be discovered 🙂
      Yes, in fact it is very similar to Isreali Couscous. Appreciate your comment. Thanks so much for stopping by 🙂

      Reply
  4. Denise from Urb'n'Spice says

    April 20, 2018 at 16:50

    5 stars
    I am so pleased to come across your recipe today, Maria! My inspiration today was lentils and I was looking for something special – your recipe hits all of the points for me! I cannot wait to make this Fregola Salad with Lentils – I love every ingredient that you have used. Thanks so much for sharing!

    Reply
    • Maria says

      April 20, 2018 at 17:22

      My pleasure Denise! We also love lentils and all things pasta! My daughter and I had a lot of fun “playing” with different ingredients… hope you like it! Appreciate your comment, thanks 🙂

      Reply
  5. Diane says

    April 20, 2018 at 14:33

    Fregola! Where have you been all my life!! Salad looks fab, but I can think of many things one could do with these lovelies. Thanks for the introduction!

    Reply
    • Maria says

      April 20, 2018 at 15:42

      You are going to love fregola!!! Hope you get a chance to try it. Thanks for stopping by Diane ♥

      Reply
  6. Cathy says

    April 20, 2018 at 14:13

    5 stars
    What an interesting dish! I’m sure the sundried tomatoes add a lovely punch of flavour!

    Reply
    • Maria says

      April 20, 2018 at 15:48

      Thanks so much Cathy! It truly is a wonderful salad… hope you get a chance to try it! Appreciate your comment, thanks for stopping by 🙂

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

About Maria

Maria headshot

Hello and Welcome to She Loves Biscotti!
I'm Maria: dietitian and full time content creator. Join me as I share traditional Italian recipes from my youth, to modern twists on classics using fresh and seasonal ingredients.

Read More…

Subscribe and Follow

Popular Posts

Banner of sites featuring She Loves Biscotti including Buzzfeed, Huffpost, etc.

Looking for something …

Links on this blog are affiliate links, which means I’ll earn a commission if you use those links. (There’s no extra charge to you).

PRIVACY POLICY | DISCLOSURE

Copyright © 2021

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. Read moreOkNo